The Agenda: Legislative session preview

Welcome to another installment of "The Agenda", which appears every morning of session day with news, analysis and fun features about the State House. Send tips and feedback by replying to this email.

On The Agenda today: The House meets at 10 a.m. The Senate meets at 1:30 p.m. Up for votes are bills on

Lawmakers on Tuesday considered a plan to increase the state gas tax to repair New Hampshire's roads and bridges.

Don't call it a gas tax, it's a "user fee"

Bill sponsor Sen. Jim Rausch, R-Derry, said it wouldn't really be a gas tax but rather a user fee that puts more of the cost of maintaining the roads on those who use them.

"It's a user fee," Rausch said. "And somehow we have to find a way to repair and fix our highways, and we have not had the willpower to do that since 1991."

Under Rausch's plan, the state's 18-cent-per-gallon gas tax would increase by 4.2 cents per gallon, which would raise about $32 million per year. The money would be used for infrastructure improvement and the expansion of Interstate 93 between Manchester and Salem.

Conservative groups are pushing back on a proposed deal that would effectively expand Medicaid in the state to 50,000 additional low-income state residents. A number of groups held a press conference telling Republicans not to vote for a plan developed by Republicans and Democrats in the Senate. In addition, Citizens for A Strong NH just launched radio ads this week hoping to pressure Republican senators.

An Iranian military observation aircraft flew within 50 yards of an armed U.S. Navy helicopter over the Persian Gulf this month, sparking concern that top Iranian commanders might not be in full control of local forces, CNN has learned.